History

Tampa had hosted minor league and spring training baseball for decades. However, after the Cincinnati Reds moved to new training facilities in Plant City in 1988 and Al Lopez Field was razed in 1989, there was no professional baseball and no large baseball venue in the city.

In 1993, the Tampa Sports Authority announced plans for a new spring training stadium to host the Yankees. The ballpark cost approximately $30 million to build and was financed entirely with public funds, mostly from Hillsborough County. It hosted its first spring training game on March 1, 1996 when the Yankees played the Cleveland Indians

In 2006, Hillsborough County paid for a $7.5 million expansion to add more seats and amenities behind right field. The addition opened in...Read More